The United States has moved to ban the import of all new foreign-made consumer Internet routers, citing mounting cybersecurity concerns and risks to critical infrastructure, in a significant escalation of its crackdown on overseas technology.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that the restriction will apply to all new router models manufactured outside the US, though existing devices already in use will not be affected.
The decision follows a White House-convened national security review which found that imported routers pose "a severe cybersecurity risk that could be leveraged to immediately and severely disrupt U.S. critical infrastructure."
Routers — used in homes and businesses to connect computers, phones, TVs and other devices to the internet — are a critical part of digital infrastructure. China is estimated to account for at least 60 per cent of the US home router market, while most global manufacturing takes place outside the US, including in China and Taiwan.
Explaining the risks, the FCC said, "Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft."
It added that such vulnerabilities had been exploited in major cyber incidents including Volt, Flax and Salt Typhoon, targeting US infrastructure between 2024 and 2025.
The new rules place routers on par with foreign-made drones, which were banned in the US under similar regulations in December. Under the updated framework, any router built outside the US must receive FCC approval before it can be imported, marketed, or sold.
To obtain approval, manufacturers will need to disclose foreign ownership or influence and provide plans to shift production to the United States. The FCC said certain devices could still qualify for exemptions if cleared by agencies such as the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security, though no specific exceptions have yet been listed.
The order also applies to routers designed in the US but manufactured overseas, underscoring Washington’s broader push to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains in sensitive technology sectors.
Lawmakers have long voiced concerns about Chinese-made networking equipment. John Moolenaar, Republican chair of the House select committee on China, praised the move, saying: "Today's tremendous decision by the FCC and the Trump administration protects our country against China's relentless cyberattacks and makes it clear that these devices should be excluded from our critical infrastructure."
"Routers are key to keeping us all connected and we cannot allow Chinese technology to be at the center of that," he added.
The decision comes amid increased scrutiny of firms such as TP-Link Systems, a major router manufacturer. Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the company, alleging it deceptively marketed its networking devices and enabled potential access to American consumer data.
TP-Link denied the allegations and said it would "vigorously defend" its reputation, adding that the Chinese government had no form of ownership or control over the company, its products or user data.
Reuters previously reported that the Trump administration had put on hold a proposed ban on domestic sales of routers made by TP-Link.
While most routers used in the US are manufactured abroad, some exceptions exist. For instance, the Starlink WiFi router developed by SpaceX is produced in Texas, reflecting efforts to localise production of critical technology.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately comment on the move.
